Counter top range



Jan. 19, 1965 c. 'r. WALTMAN COUNTER TOP RANGE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 11, 1963 INVENTOR. Charles Z WaZZmazz HTTOQ/VEYS Jan. 19, 1965' c. T. WALTMAN COUNTER TOP RANGE HTTORNEKS INVENTOR. (lzarles Z WaZZman 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 II n [I u u :1

7: '1 1 I 1 I ll i: :I I I I I l 11 l ii 1! i 3 I BY w ww Filed June 11, 1963 Jan. 19, 1965 c. T. WALTMAN COUNTER TOP RANGE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVNTOR. Cfzarlas Z7 Waliman Filed June 11, 1963 BY .aw zzm rm/avers United States Patent Office 3,166,054 Patented Jan. 19, 19565 3,166,064 COUNTER T61 RANGE Charles T. Waltman, Lake Forest, Iii, assignor to Magic Chef, Inc, Cleveland, Tenn. Filed June 11, 1963, Ser. No. 286,966 Claims. (=81. 12637) This invention relates to counter top ranges and particularly ranges of that type wherein an assembly, including either gas or electric heating units, is arranged to be placed in an opening in a counter top andsecured therein to function as a cooking range.

Counter top ranges have been known heretofore but applicants range includes a number of novel features and particularly wherein the range is provided with a wooden cutting board serving as a lid or cover for a storage compartment formed in the range unit itself. Further, the range unit is provided with the necessary manual controls which are located closely adjacent the storage compartment and a suitable framework serves to support a cutting board and at the same time constitutes a frame for the manual controls. The invention further contemplates a novel relationship between a gas manifold and the rest of the device whereby control valves are secured to a flat surface on one side of the manifold and are thereby positively and accurately positioned in proper alignment to register with openings in the framework mentioned heretofore. The framework for holding the cutting board is mounted on a range top panel which in turn is pivoted to a housing in which the heater units and associated mechanisms are mounted.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a novel counter top range having a storage compartment therein.

Another object is to provide a counter top range of the 4 type set forth wherein the storage compartment is provided with a removable cover constituting a cutting board.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a counter top range achieving the above objects and which further provides a novel and unique arrangement of manual controls rendering them readily accessible to a person working at the cutting board.

A still further object is to provide a counter top range having manual controls and means for mounting the same whereby they are positively held in proper alignment with a range top without the necessity of making any adjustments after assembly.

Further and additional objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the description proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the counter top range of the present invention showing the counter top in dotted line;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the storage compartment cover in the open position;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a portion of the apparatus as seen from line 55 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the interior of the present invention with the range cover in the open position but broken away for clarity of illustration.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show schematically a counter top 2 which may be of the conventional type found in the usual kitchen. The counter top is provided with a generally rectangular opening into which the range of the present invention is placed and secured. The counter top range of electrical failure.

specifically illustrated or described herein is a gas burning range but it is to be understood that the principles of the invention may be applied With equal facility to counter top ranges employing electrically energized heater units.

The range illustrated comprises a housing, generally indicated by numeral 4, adapted to be set within an opening cut into the counter top 2. The range is provided with a hinged top cover 6, as will be more fully described, having a plurality of openings 8 therein registering with burners 16 mounted within the housing 4. The cover is further provided with an opening over which a frame 12 is secured, which frame constitutes a hinge support for a cover 14 adapted to close a storage compartment 16 defined by a pan 18 also Within the housing 4. Frame 12 further defines an elevated panel 20 having openings 22 therein through which manual control members 24 extend and are accessible for manual control of the Various functions of the range. As shown, the panel 20 further supports a signal light 26 to indicate when the range is in the on condition and a control switch 27 by which the range may be turned on or oif, as will be more fully described. As shown in FIG. 1, the manual controls 24 comprise a group of four controls placed next to each other and which control valves for directing gas from a manifold to the respective burners. The single control at the left end of panel 20 represents a timer whereby the housewife may set the range to operate for a predetermined desired length of time and to thereafter either give a signal or to turn a burner off, as desired. Such timers are well known and will not be further described.

Referring now to FIG. 6 wherein the housing 4 is shown open with the cover '6 in its up position but broken away for simplicity of illustration. FIG. 6 shows the pan 18 within the housing 4- and in position to lie below the opening in frame 12 so as to render the compartment 16 accessible when cover 14 is raised.

Numeral 28 designates a suitable fitting by which fuel gas is admitted to the apparatus, numeral 30 designates a suitable pressure regulator and numeral 32 designates a solenoid-operated valve for the gas supply. The valve 32 is electrically operated to be held in the open position when energized and to shut off the gas supply when deenergized. This is a known unit and need not be described in further detail except to point out that amanual control 34 is provided whereby the valve may be manually opened and the range may be operated even in the event From the valve 32 the gas supply is directed into a manifold 36 having a generally upstanding flat side surface 38. The manifold 36 is accurately located in the housing 4 and mounted therein so that the upstanding fiat surface 38 defines a reference plane. Control valves 40 are secured to the manifold '36 on the fiat side 38 thereof and are thus accurately positioned and are held in proper horizontal alignment and proper vertical attitude so that their operating shafts will all register with openings in the cover, as will be further described. The valves 40 respectively control the admission of gas to each of the burners 10 in a well-known manner. As shown, the burners 10 are arranged in pairs and between each pair is an assembly 42 constituting a pilot burner and ignition system. Gas for the pilot burners is tapped from the supply line, preferably on the range side of solenoid valve 32 so that when the valve 32 is in the off position, no gas is supplied to the pilot burners. The assemblies 42'further include an electrical ignition system ofknown construction wherein a glow coil is heated by electric current to a sufficiently high temperature to ignite gas issuing from the pilot burner. Whenthe gas is ignited, heat therefrom acts upon a coil control elepanel 20 of frame 12, as previously described.

ferred to, controls the supply of electricity to the solenoid control valve 32 and the glow coils for igniting the pilot burners. Thus, when the housewife is to be away from portions 78 lying against the flat top of the cover member 7 6, framing the opening 76, and to which the frame 12 is home for a considerable period of time, she may turn the range off, thus extinguishing all pilot burners and efiecting closure of the solenoid valve 32'whereby the range remains cold during her absence} .When it is desired to put therange into operation, it is only necessary to turn the switch 27 to the on position in which event the solenoid 'valve 32 is opened and the glow coils are energized to ignite thepilot burners and the range is ready for immediate use. The signallight 26 indicates whether or not the range is on. Ignition of the main burners from the pilot burners takes place in the usual manner through the ignitor tubes 44. In the event of power failure, the control 34 may be manipulated to manually open the valve 32, thus supplying fuel gas to the pilot burners and to the manifold .36. In this case, each of the pilot burnersmust be ignited by hand.

. Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, the housing 4, previously referred to, actuallycomprises an outer shell 46 defining a first housing structure and an inner, shell 48, spaced inwardly therefrom. The shell 48 is provided with peripheral horizontal flanges 50 extending laterally therefrom and terminating in bearing portions 52 resting on the counter top 2 around the periphery of ,the opening therein. The outer shell 46 is secured to the inner shell 48 in the region of the flanges 50by means of suitable fastening means, such as screws 54 and spacers 56. The screws 54 are also shown as securing further spacers 58 to the flange 50 to extend upwardly therefrom. The pan 18 defining the compartments 16 is shown as merely resting on the bottom of the inner shell 48 whereby it may be readily removed for cleaning or for other purposes. Suitable positioning means, not shown in detail, are provided to hold the pan 18 in the desired position. The inner surface of the shell 48 and both surfaces of pan 18 are preferably porcelain enameled.

As shown, the outlets from valves 40 extend downwardly into the space between shells 46 and 48 where piping 59 (only one pipe shown in FIG. 3) conveys gas to the selected burner 10. The tubing for supplying gas to the pilot burners is also positioned between shells 46 and '48. As also shown in FIG. 3, the openings 8, previously referred to, register with the respective burners but also the manualcontrols 24. As shown in FIG.

3, the control valves 40 are secured to the upstanding flat surface 38 of manifold 36 and are provided with upstanding operating shafts 70. Thus, the shafts 70 are all positively positioned in horizontal alignment and in proper upstanding attitude to project through openings 72Thin e manual controls or knobs 24 are removably positioned on the shafts 70 so that they may be readily removed to permit opening of the first cover 6 to the position of FIG. 6.

The frame member 12 bounds the opening 68 and divides the area thereof into two-major portions, one portion being defined by the elevatedpanel 20. and the other portion being an opening 76 (defined-by the flange hearing that number) overlying and registering with the open i top of the pan 18.

fixedly secured by any suitable means (not shown). At its opposite end the frame 12 is provided with upstanding flanges 80 which extend forwardly to and terminate at the forward edge of the cover 6, thus defining an upwardly open channel-like frame having an open forward end. Adjacent their rear ends and in close proximity to the panel 20, the flanges 80 are provided withupwardly open notches 82 (FIGS. 3 and '5). The second cover 14 is provided with pins 84 extending from opposite ends and near its rearmost edge, such pins being received in the notches 82 to define a hinge support forvthe cover 14;

Preferably, the cover 14, when closed, extends forwardly completely to the forward ends of the flanges 80 and tothe forward edge of the cover 6 and is provided with a forwardly projecting upper lip 85. By this arrangement there is no framework or other obstructions at the forward edge of the cover 14 or cutting board and any material cut or chopped by the'housewife thereon may be scraped or moved forwardly and caused to drop over the lip 85 of the cover 14 itself, directly into a pan or other receptacle without having to be moved over or across any joint between the cutting board and any frame member. By virtue of the upwardly open notches 82, the cover 14 may be swung to the open position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3, then lifted directly upwardly and removed for cleaning or the like. This permits scrubbing or otherwise cleaning the cutting board 14 without the danger of getting water or other cleaning material on or in the range structure itself since the cover may be removed to a remote location for such cleaning.

When in its closed position, the rear edge of the cover 14 underlies a decorative flange structure at the forward edge of the panel 20.

Obviously, the compartment 16 is useful for storing or holding such items as condiments regularly used while cooking, knives for use with the cutting board, foil wrapping material, or the like. If desired, kitchen implements or supplies may be mounted right on the under surface of the board 14.

From the above description it will be seen that a novel range structure has been provided, achieving all of the objectives previously set forth and while a single specific form has been shown and described, it is to be understood that the same is merely illustrative of the principles of the invention and that other modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A counter top range comprising: an open-top housing adapted to be mounted in an opening in a counter top; a plurality of heater means in said housing; a plurality of manual controls for said heater means, mounted in said housing and extending upwardly through said open top; a first cover hinged to one edge of the open top of v said' housing and having a plurality of openings therethrough registering respectively with said heater means I first cover is closed; and a second cover hinged tosaid first cover and overlying said compartment for closing said further opening and said compartment.

2. A range as defined in claim 1 wherein said first cover comprises a main plate of sheet metal; a large opening therethrough encompassing said manual controls and the 7 open top of said compartment; a unitary frame member overlying said large opening and secured to said main plate; said further opening and the openings registering with said manual controls'being in said frame member.

3. A range as defined in claim 2 wherein said frame member is provided with an elevated panel portion adjacent one edge of said further opening, said openings registering with said manual controls being in said elevated panel; said second cover being hinged to said frame member at said one edge of said further opening and substantially abutting the forward edge of said elevated panel.

4. A range as defined in claim 3 wherein said second cover is of wood and provided'with projecting pins on opposite side edges; notches in said frame adjacent opposite ends of said one edge; said pins being removably seated in said notches and constituting the hinge mounting for said second cover whereby the same is optionally removable from said first cover.

5. A countertop range comprising: an open-top housing adapted to be mounted in an opening in a counter top; a plurality of heater means in said housing; a plurality of manual controls for said heater means, mounted in said housing and extending upwardly through said open top;

a first cover hinged to one edge of the open top of said housing and having a plurality of openings therethrough registering respectively with said heater means and said manual controls, individually when said first cover is closed, with said manual controls projecting upwardly above said first cover through their respective openings; means defining an open top storage compartment in said housing adjacent said controls; a further opening in said first cover registering with the open top of said compartment when said first cover is closed; and a second cover hinged to said first cover and overlying said compartment for closing said. further opening and said compartment, said further opening being adjacent the front edge of said first cover; an integral frame outlining said further opening and secured to said first cover, said frame having upstanding flanges at opposite sides thereof extending to and terminating at the front edge of said first cover; said second cover being of Wood and hinged to said frame at the rear edge of said further opening to be between said flanges when closed and extending forwardly to the front edge of said first cover.

' References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/19 Peters 12637 X JAMES W. WESTHAVERPrimary Examiner. 

1. A COUNTER TOP RANGE COMPRISING: AN OPEN-TOP HOUSING ADAPTED TO THE MOUNTED IN AN OPENING IN A COUNTER TOP; A PLURALITY OF HEATER MEANS IN SAID HOUSING; A PLURALITY OF MANUAL CONTROLS FOR SAID HEATER MEANS, MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID OPEN TOP; A FIRST COVER HINGED TO ONE EDGE OF THE OPEN TOP OF SAID HOUSING AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS THERETHROUGH REGISTERING RESPECTIVELY WITH SAID HEATER MEANS AND SAID MANUAL CONTROLS, INDIVIDUALLY WHEN SAID FIRST COVER IS CLOSED, WITH SAID MANUAL CONTROLS PROJECTING UPWARDLY ABOVE SAID FIRST COVER THROUGH THEIR RESPECTIVE OPENINGS; AN OPEN-TOPPED PAN DEFINING AN OPEN TOP STORAGE COMPARTMENT REMOVABLY POSITIONED IN SAID HOUSING 